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From: "Al Wick" <alwick@juno.com>
To: "Rotary motors in aircraft" <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
References: <list-3248535@logan.com>
In-Reply-To: <list-3248535@logan.com>
Subject: Re: [FlyRotary] Alcoholic Rotary
Date: Sat, 1 Nov 2008 12:40:22 -0700
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If you operate with more than 10% ethanol, then you add a few new risks.
1) Alcohol has a strong attraction to water. So you have to be very thorough 
in checking for water prior to flight. More likely to have way more water 
than you ever had with gasoline.

2) With more than 10% alcohol, that water is very corrosive. Particularly to 
aluminum. So no aluminum should be used for plumbing. (Note: only true when 
using more than 10% alcohol).

3) Alcohol boils at lower pressure. So if you have the typical marginal fuel 
system, then you are way more likely to have vapor lock. Particularly on 
warm day with plane sitting on tarmac. Also affected by altitude. So 
strongly encourage using wet fuel pumps instead of external pump.

4) You'll have to squirt a little more fuel per gulp of air to compensate 
for less energy per gallon. No biggie.

I flew 5 years with 10% ethanol. No problems. I crew a 1000 hp drag boat 
that uses methanol. We have to purge fuel from all fuel lines, tank, and 
spray wd40 inside them after each race. Else we get severe corrosion. Good 
luck. Let us know how it goes.

-Al Wick
Cozy IV powered by Turbo Subaru 3.0R with variable valve lift and cam 
timing.
Artificial intelligence in cockpit, N9032U 240+ hours from Portland, Oregon
Glass panel design, Subaru install, Prop construct, Risk assessment info:
http://www.maddyhome.com/canardpages/pages/alwick/index.html


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bob Perkinson" <bobperk90658@bellsouth.net>

This subject probably has been hashed around on this list before, but I will 
ask it again. What might be the estimated power output of the 13B be burning 
only Ethanol, and what other alteration would need to be preformed other 
than what are already preformed?
I know the concerns about the effects of Ethanol on hoses and other flexible 
ancillaries.
The reason that I am even thinking of running the engine on ethanol is there 
might be some federal money out there for R&D passed out through one of the 
local Universities.
Just thinking about my piece of the pie. :>)

Bob Perkinson
RV-9 N68RP Reserved